Anyone a Driving Instructor?

[lloydi]

Hi guys, is anyone here a driving instructor?

Is the money as good as they say on the adverts eg 30K also do you think this is a saturated market? What is the best way to train and who should you avoid, I have heard bad things about the instructor college, eg just in it to take your money. Where is best to start etc?

Thanks for your help

[tiggerbiker]

yeah, i'm an ADI and das qualified.

get your CRB check done then read up on the highwaycode and practice on the standard theory test dvd/cd's then get your theory done - you now have 2 years to do part's 2 and 3.

part 2 is not much more than an advanced driving test - get some lessons from an instructor trainer - the DSA do have a list of approved instructors.

part 3 is the bitch, abillity to instruct test - get more lessons from your part 2 instructor.

instructor collage/red/ whatever are a con m8, they fleece you for ££££ for stuff you could sort yourself for less than a grand.

£30k a year - possible, only if you work 14hrs a day and 7 days a week!
most instructors in london are charging £20 a lesson, once you take your costs out of that, you are left with sod all m8.

i took all the time, money, effort to become an approved driving instructor and i now only teach motorcycles - there is just too many car instructors around that are doing it part time to boost their income, they are charging much less as they dont need to make a living out of it, thus fucking us full timers up.

[lloydi]

cheers for those wise words mate, I will dig a bit deeper and maybe contact some local independants to see what the score it, dont fancy investing in one of them courses especially after some of the stories i have read about trading standards getting involved with Red etc.

[blaggard]

It was the same when I did it in the 80s shit money and long antisocial hours, avoid it.

[Neo\nsc]

Nice one guys was thinking on going down this road myself saved me time and money

[Q-Ball]

both my folks are/were driving instructors. Now semi retired due to way too many instructors on the road, high fuel prices and not enough pupils. I think they used to make 30K a year in their prime but that was 7 days a week, at least 9 hours a day. Mind you, they were self employed and didnt have pupils sent to them via red or the aa etc. To be honest, i wouldnt take this up as a new profession. Sitting in your car all day does your back in. Plus, you get some really terrible pupils who will scare the shit out of you!

If your area isnt alread filled with instuctors, and you have a few collages/unmiversities around you, it may be worth it.

best of luck

[parodyuk]

Plus, you get some really terrible pupils who will scare the shit out of you!

I used to be one of them pupils. But now im not and my instructor chills out, dont even get directions now just told where to go

[lloydi]

here is a link to a blog i found very eye opening and really will put you off the likes of Red etc

http://www.ukadi.co.uk/2008/06/becom...ont-do-it.html

And this video also

YouTube - Red Driving School On ITV Tonight Programme

[blaggard]

It was ever thus!

[jaguar982]

Enjoyed it when i did it many moons ago but the figures they quote are not realistic you will find everyone wants evenings and weekends first then in the week you can have 2/3 lessons in morning a gap of a couple hours then same again very very unsociable hours as a career i would think very carefully and to pay for a course forget it hope this helps

jag

[God is a DJ]

My mums recently got into this, doing her part 3 test soon. As her car packed up shes been using my Focus. Now this is a car ive looked after for 5 yrs and in the space of 6 months with the learners it has been completely ruined. Not just stuff like the clutch which needed replacing, but constant dings nd scratches, nd the car as a whole now feels much older than it is. I can see why AA give their drivers new cars every 6 months. It can get bloody expensive doing it private. Just something to bear in mind if ur thinking about using ur daily driver as a learner car.

[flumperino]

Also, don't forget that when loads of people are out of work, things like driving lessons (along with gym memberships and trips to the barbers) will be the first thing on people's list of cost cutting.

[jaguar982]

Not sure i agree with that m8 some people will think driving will give more scope to travel futher and no they wont think about cost until they have to insure it and all the other (joys of motoring )

jag

[tiggerbiker]

Not sure i agree with that m8 some people will think driving will give more scope to travel futher and no they wont think about cost until they have to insure it and all the other (joys of motoring )

jag

there is a BIG drop in the numbers of people learning to drive at the moment.

i was chatting to another ADI at the pinner DTC yesterday and he said that he had been in the trade for 23 years and had never known it so bad, he is even thinking of looking for a part time job

[blaggard]

Flumps is bang on, though it's the second thing to go, guitar lessons being first!!